Convertible wardrobe-handbag



July 13, 1937. H. B. MARBURY ET A1.

CONVERTIBLE WARDROBE HANDBAG Filed June 5, 1935 z A //////V/.///// n, In,

raras PATENT OFFICE y 2,081,210 oonvan'rmm wAnnnoBE-HANDBAG Herbrt B. Marbury and my c. Jones, Atlanta, Ga., assgnors to Fulton Bag and Cotton Mills,

Atlanta, Ga.

Application June 5, 1935, serial No. 25,165

Generically this invention relates to clothes containers, but it more especially is directed to a combination wardrobe travel bag and handbag.

One of the principal objects of this invention is the provision of a combination wardrobe travel and handbag formed in one surface with a cut out opening of such dimensions and disposed at such an angle as to permit the expeditious insertion and removal of the contents of the bag, said cut out portion constituting a closure ap for said opening, and fastener meansfor securing the flap in closed position. An important object of this invention is the provision of a substantially flat flexible sacklike container adapted to normally support therein clothes and the like in wardrobe fashion when in extended position, and adapted to be folded `grid secured in folded position to provide a hand- One of the principal objects of this invention is the provision of an airtight, waterproof, dustproof travel bag, adapted to support therein clothes in wardrobe fashion and to be normally suspended in extended position when traveling by automobile, train, bus, plane,`or steamer, and instantly convertible into a handbag by simply folding the bag upon itself with its-free end detachably secured to one side thereof.

A further important object of this invention is the provision of a combination travel bag and handbag constructed from a one-piece blank adapted to normally support therein clothes in wardrobe fashion when in extended position, so constructed as to eliminate interior obstructions tending to wrinkle the clothes when folded to provide a handbag, said bag being air tight when closed whether in extended or folded positions, and constituting a permanent moth and dust repellent sealed clothes container when not being used for traveling purposes, said container adapted to maintain the clothes in non-wrinkled condition, and instantly available as a travel and handbag when desired.

With these and other objects in view, which will become apparent as the description proceeds, theinvention resides in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which like characters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several guresof which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of our improved convertible handbag in extended and open position.

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the device folded to constitute a handbag.

The types of luggage cases or handbags with which we are familiar have proven deficient in many ways, such as being too bulky, too expensive to produce, having foldover flaps, etc., causing Wrinkling of the clothes when folded, incapable of use as a handbag and also as a wardrobe container when traveling and as a clothes container when not in use for traveling, and it was to overcome such deficiencies and to pro vide a substantially flat, flexible, airtight, waterproof, dustproof wardrobe container while being transported by land, air, or water,` yet instantly foldable into a handbag adapted for l0 manual transportation as desired and without causing wrinkling or musslng of the contents, that we designed the combination travel and handbag forming the subject matter of this in vention.

In the illustrated embodiment characterizing this invention there is shown a travel bag A in which principally clothes are adapted to be normally carried wardrobe fashion. The luggage case or travel bag A is formed from a. one- 20 pieee substantially rectangular blank of flexible material such as suede, transversely folded upon itself as atl and with its side edges andcurved end edges turned inwardly in overlapping relation and stitched with a liner strip or insert 2 25 ,i

interposed therebetween and extending to the exterior so as to form a water and airtight seam and enhance the appearance ,of the bag.

In order to provide an opening B of minimum size, yet so designed as to permit complete access 30 to the interior of the bag and the expeditious insertion therein and removal therefrom of clothes and other articles, the front side or face 3 is out forming a. slot 3 substantially conforming to the contour of said upper edge from a 35 point 4 spaced from one side edge and from the upper edge transversely to a point 5 spaced from the opposite side edge and downwardly a. distance substantially equal to the distance from 4 to 5 and terminating at 6, thereby forming a. substan- 40 tially triangular flap 1 having a, hinge-like fold line 8 extending diagonally from the starting point 4 of said cut to the end 6. Y

In order to lock and hold the flapf'l in closed position, a tape (a) is 'secured by stitching (b) 45 to the under surface of side 3 along the edge of the opening B and a, similar tape (a) similarly secured along the periphery of the flap with their meeting edges extending substantially to the cen ter of the slot when the flap is in closed position. 50

opposite direction, the elements of the fastening means are disengaged causing the flap to automatically move to open position. It is therefore apparent that the movement of slide II not only fastens and unfastens the flap but at the same time effects, without other aid, movement of the flap from complete open to complete closed position, as desired. In thisV connection, it will be noted that the metallic elements I0 of fastening means 9 when in interlocking or bag sealing relation are positioned in slot 3' and below the exterior surface of the bag. l

A tab (c), in the present instance, substantially shield-shaped is suitably secured to the bag at the ends 4 and 6, respectively, of slot 3 as a reinforcement and protection to the ends, respectively, of the slot and hinge fold 8 of said ap, which are also adapted to add to the appearance of the bag.

'I'he ends I3 of handle I4lare interposed between and extend beyond the upper meeting edges of the sack or bag A and are secured by the stitching I uniting the said edges. While in the present instance the bag and handle are shown as preferably constructed of waterproof suede, either or both may be constructed of any suitable material. Each of said ends I3 of handle I4 is divided and tacked or otherwise suitably secured to opposite sides of a hanger support I5 constructed of wood or any suitable material of a length equal to the interior width of the sack and curved to conform to the contour of its upper end, so that the weight of the bag will be distributed over said upper end.

Support I5 not only effects an even distribution vof the weight of the sack over its upper end,

`but maintains the shape of the sack or bag at all times and additionally constitutes a supporting medium for articles of clothing placed on one or more of the clothes hangers I6 detachably supported by the anchor screw I1 threadedly or otherwise secured to said support I5, as will be clear without fin-ther discussion. v

A substantially rectangular piece of exible material I8 which may be of the same material ras the lining has one longitudinal edge secured by a.' line of stitching I9 to the inner surface of the rear side 20 approximately in alignment with the upper or transverse edge of the opening B. The lower edge of the material is folded upwardly upon itself and secured to said side 20 by a line of stitching 2I to provide a blouse-like effect which not only increases the capacity range of the compartment 22, adapted to contain shirts and other articles of apparel, but maintains said articles in a substantially fiat, smooth condition. Said compartment is open at both ends, and one end or mouth. 23 is spaced from one edge of the bag so as to permit ready access to the compartment. Positioning the compartment with its mouth or receiving end spaced from the edge of the sack and directly opposite to the widest portion of opening B, not only renders it easy to insert the desired articles in, and remove them from said compartment, but likewise renders it possible to accomplish the-same by effecting only a partial opening of flap-1 which is desirable when the compartment only is desired to be reached.

A sectional fastening element `24, in the prent instance of the well known snap fastener type, is suitablyf secured to side 3 intermediate the edges and points 4 and 5, respectively, and a similary element is secured to flap 1 adjacent its upper edge. The complemental sections 25 are suitably secured to the lower edge of bag A, so that when it is desired to convert the wardrobe travel bag A into a handbag C it is only necessary to transversely fold said bag upon itself as at 26 and bring the elements 24 and 25 into interlocking engagement. The handbag may be reconverted into the wardrobe bag by simply disengaging fastening elements 24 and 25. In this connection it will be noted that only one handle I4 is employed, the same being common to both forms A and C.

The operation and versatility of our improved light weight, compact, combinedV travel bag and handbag would. seem to be clear from the above,

. the slide fastener member to complete flap opening position,'or only sufficiently to partially open said flap if other articles such as shirts are desired; and from this point to reconvert the wardrobe bag, simply close the slide fastener, tran'sversely fold the bag, snap the complementa] fastening elements into interlocking engagement, and a compact handbag is the result.

Although in practice we have found that the l form of our invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing and. referred to in the above description, as the preferred embodiment, to be the most efilcient and practical; yet, realizing the conditions concurrent with the adoption of our invention will necessarily vary, we desire to emphasize that various minor changes in detail of construction, proportion and arrangement of parts, may be resorted to within the' scope of the appended claim without departing from or sacrificing any of the principles of this invention.

Having thus described our invention, and without enumerating variations and equivalents, what we desire protected by Letters Patent is as set forth in the following claim:

A wardrobe travel bag foldable into a container of the brief case type comprising a flat flexible sack container adapted to principally contain wearing apparel suspended from its upper i end, one face of the container having an opening made by a horizontal cut in said face running adjacent the top from one side to the other and joining a vertical cut running parallel and adjacent to one side forming a diagonally hinged flap, means normally securing the flap in closed and sealing position, said container adapted to be transversely folded substantially central of its length into a brief case like handbag, means for maintaining the bag in folded position, an auxiliary compartment underlying the apparel and positioned wholly above the line of fold and having an open end facing and spaced laterally from the side edge of the container and the vertical edge of the container opening whereby the compartment and its contents are not affected by said line of fold and ready access may he had to said compartment through said opening and open end without 'disturbance to or hindrance by the suspended contents -of the container.

HERBERT B. MARBURY. nor c. JONES. 

